Down the Drain

News broke yesterday that the fashion house Luella has decided to cease trading. While I've liked some of their looks in the past, it's easy to see why they're not surviving the economic downturn. A mushroom keychain on sale for $54? An ugly, ruffled t-shirt I could get (but wouldn't) at Forever 21 for 10 bucks, on sale for $128? Pass, thanks.

I will not mourn these labels. If fashion houses want to survive this recession, and future recessions, maybe they should consider trimming down. Stop producing such massive collections, and focus on making each piece something someone would actually want to buy.

Columnists, bloggers, designers, and rich people talk till they are blue in the face about how if we could just get over the scary price tags, we consumers would be so pleased with our purchases if we made the switch from fast-fashion to high-end lines. While Luella doesn't exactly fall into the later category, it does follow the same modus operandi - use better fabrics, debut your collections on the normal high-end fashion calendar, jack up those prices, and then bask in all your ill-gotten riches.

No, I'm not saying that all designers immediately it the jackpot with that method. A lot do. But that's not the point. The point is, you're still charging way, way more than you know you should for your product. And that's why you shouldn't be surprised that the consumers you've willfully been scamming for years don't care at all to help you climb out of your financial hole. It's the same as when the music industry started crying because of digital music, and begging us to save them, but everyone laughed in their faces because we'd paid $15 one (or a million) too many times for a CD that cost $.02 to make.

Today's generation, just like every generation before them, is a savvy group of consumers. Where you could trick our grandparents and maybe parents into become brand whores, but it's much harder now. Heck, we're the first generation to demand fast-fashion. So I'm sorry that you mismanaged your money Luella, or you made some bad decisions. But you will never see me spending that kind of money on that kind of crap just to help what to me is just another scam-artist come back from the brink.

Ugh, I've been so sick the last few days. So a lack of posts, I'm sorry. I'll post again when I'm healthy!

Inhabit Fall Sample Sale

Inhabit is having their Fall Sample Sale online right now, with up to 80% off select styles. I currently own FIVE Inhabit sweaters, and I just ordered two more today. I have never, and will never, pay full price for them and have only picked them up at various sample sales. But that's only because I'm such a cheapie - these sweaters are seriously comfortable and they are a phenomenal staple for your wardrobe. It's why I get so excited every time I see there's a sale! The cotton is solid, the cashmere is super soft, and I've never regretted a purchase. I'm sure you feel the same way!

Stella McCartney for Gap Kids

This is the cutest diffusion line I've seen in quite some time and it's no surprise it comes from Stella McCartney. She's the queen of incredibly luxe looking, comfortable yet on trend pieces. She's also known for stratospheric prices. This line for Gap Kids is the perfect price range, so the question is, can you squeeze into it?

Thankfully for us smaller ladies and men, Grazia sent out a crack team to investigate. The results are these two informative (and cute!) videos showing one of their brave staffers testing out a few of the main pieces. Watch, drool, and then head to your local Gap and pray that it isn't all sold out!

Flirty fun

I'm not in love with the length of this shirt, but the sleeves are so Moschino.


For $28, it's a healthy amount of personality without looking cheap!

Perfect fall boots on Etsy

Etsy is a fantastic destination for affordable, quality vintage shoes. This time of year, sellers know that's what everyone's looking for, so there are an enormous range of options up currently. Here are some of my favorites:


Vintage Leather Equestrian Boots for $75. The rope detail is really on trend and the color here is fantastic.


Vintage Albert Assanti Boots for $105. There are so many designers doing this brown-on-black style with boots right now, but for a much much higher price-tag.


Black Leather Riding Boots for $64. This is just a straight-up steal. If these were my size I'd already have snapped them up.


Vintage Gucci Knee-Highs for $350. Finally, a little eye-candy splurge. These are truly gorgeous, and a great little piece of history. Plus, it looks like the seller is willing to bargain!

A Peak Inside

Have any of you checked out Sundance Channel's "The Day Before"? It bills itself as a four-part documentary series in which they chronicle, "the final 36 hours prior to crucial seasonal runway shows featuring creations by some of the fashion world's leading designers." And it is fascinating.



Simply noting the differences between the processes for each of these houses tells so much. The first episode I saw was the one on Fendi, and Karl Lagerfeld. One of the most striking take-aways, for both the viewer and clearly the editors, was how many pieces end up on the cutting-room floor. For every insane look you see below, there was one that was fully completed but will never have its moment on the runway.



In comparison, the Proenza Schouler episode emphasizes how small the house still is, and how important every scrap of fabric is. It was so interesting to see the designers agonize over every look, willing themselves to find the solutions that will make them work.



Most of all though, you come away with such a respect for every aspect of the craft, for each pair of hands detailing each look. I loved every minute of it!